Dammit man
Well-known member
Well I just ordered a electric water pump for the vette. I will up date this tread as I install and all that. I still would like any advice or things to looks out for.
Ben
Ben
Electric water pump
- Thread starter Dammit man
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #2
Dammit man
Well-known member
Well I’m off to a bad start. The water pump is easy to get out except for that one bolt on the drivers side. There are 6 bolts in total. That one bolt is hidden by the air pump pulley. So I tried to remove the pulley. WRONG. Don't do this. I found tech info on this site that told me to remove the air pump to get to the last bolt. This is the right way to go. There are 5 bolts holding the air pump on. Once you have them off you can move the pump out of the way enough to get to the water pump bolt. No need to take the air lines off the air pump.
I pull the water pump out. I notice I have broken off the water pump temp sensor. Be careful this thing is easy to damage. I will have to get a new one.
The pump then was on the workbench. I found that the half the ball bearings were gone. Not good. I did not think the pump was in that bad condition.
I then removed the guts of the pump in preparations for bolting on the electric pump. This went very well. I cleaned up all the surfaces to get a good seal.
I go to join the pump with the pump housing and quickly realize the pump is the wrong size and shape.
I brought the pump from Jeggs. The list said it would fit ANY LT1 pump. The pump was a CSR electric pump. CSR does not make an electric pump for my 96. Meziere is the only manufacture that makes the right pump.
So I have come to an all stop with the electric pump install. I have ordered the right one and have to wait for it to come.
I pull the water pump out. I notice I have broken off the water pump temp sensor. Be careful this thing is easy to damage. I will have to get a new one.
The pump then was on the workbench. I found that the half the ball bearings were gone. Not good. I did not think the pump was in that bad condition.
I then removed the guts of the pump in preparations for bolting on the electric pump. This went very well. I cleaned up all the surfaces to get a good seal.
I go to join the pump with the pump housing and quickly realize the pump is the wrong size and shape.
I brought the pump from Jeggs. The list said it would fit ANY LT1 pump. The pump was a CSR electric pump. CSR does not make an electric pump for my 96. Meziere is the only manufacture that makes the right pump.
So I have come to an all stop with the electric pump install. I have ordered the right one and have to wait for it to come.
Ken
Gone but not forgotten
Patience Ben, they say is a virtue. 
It happens to the best of us - "Murphy's Law" and all that.
It happens to the best of us - "Murphy's Law" and all that.
R
Ramrod92
Guest
Did it look like this?
- Thread starter
- #6
Dammit man
Well-known member
Well I got all the parts together. Took a while.
Parts list
1. Electric Pump from Meziere. It came with 20 Amp fuse holder with fuse wired up. 1 plug wired up.
2. 30 amp relay from auto zone.
3. Wire
4. various wiring bits and pieces
5. Wire tester to find hot wire to activate relay
6. zip ties
7. Water wetter, distilled water and antifreeze.
8. New temp sensor. I broke mine off.
9. Water pump gasket with good sticky sealant
I cleaned up all the surfaces again. (I did not change out the Opti Spark. I read that the 96 has a drain and should me fine.)
Bolted the pump to the pump housing. I used the old o-ring with a little lube. Everything fit great.
Before putting the gaskets in I did a test fit. Round peg in a square hole. I tried everyway no go. I thought for a bit and took the pump off the housing. Test fit all looked good.
I used some good sticky gasket sealant on the pump. This helped keep the gasket in place during install.
With the housing in I then put the pump in and bolted it to the hosing. This was easy. The pump had heaps of room around it. No cutting or moving anything.
I put all the rest of the car together
I mounted the 30 amp relay in the driver side head light area. There are plenty of places to put this.
I ran a + wire from the battery wire to the relay.
Ran the + wire from the pump to the relay
Ran – wire from pump to frame.
With the ignition on I looked for a hot wire. I found one coming out of the wiper harness. This wire was hot in only 2 key positions. Ignition on and accessories on.
I ran the + wire from the wiper harness to the relay
Ran a ground from the frame to the relay. The relay comes with instructions as to which wire goes where.
Put Water wetter, distilled water and a little antifreeze in
Started the car let it warm up and added as needed. When the car was hot I turned off the engine but kept the pump running. This was cool because I could hear the air in the system and could work it out through the bleeder. I could hear when all of the air was out.
I did some tests Turing the wipers on and off car off and on ect to see if the pump went off, all was fine
The driving temp is 173 and sitting in traffic 210 was the hottest it got . But when I started moving the temp went down quick. I then got on it hard, high revs burnt outs temp got to 195 once.
With all the parts and tools I could have done the whole thing in 10 hours easy.
The next thing I am doing is putting a light on the dash so I now when the pump goes off. I have NOT found a good way to do this. I do not want to have a light on all the time. I want the light to come on when the pump goes out. Like a reverse relay. Let me know if you have an idea.
I don’t know how the post photos on this site so if someone wants some photos let me know what you want and I will E-mail them.
Ramrod92 Yes that’s what it looked like.
Ben
Parts list
1. Electric Pump from Meziere. It came with 20 Amp fuse holder with fuse wired up. 1 plug wired up.
2. 30 amp relay from auto zone.
3. Wire
4. various wiring bits and pieces
5. Wire tester to find hot wire to activate relay
6. zip ties
7. Water wetter, distilled water and antifreeze.
8. New temp sensor. I broke mine off.
9. Water pump gasket with good sticky sealant
I cleaned up all the surfaces again. (I did not change out the Opti Spark. I read that the 96 has a drain and should me fine.)
Bolted the pump to the pump housing. I used the old o-ring with a little lube. Everything fit great.
Before putting the gaskets in I did a test fit. Round peg in a square hole. I tried everyway no go. I thought for a bit and took the pump off the housing. Test fit all looked good.
I used some good sticky gasket sealant on the pump. This helped keep the gasket in place during install.
With the housing in I then put the pump in and bolted it to the hosing. This was easy. The pump had heaps of room around it. No cutting or moving anything.
I put all the rest of the car together
I mounted the 30 amp relay in the driver side head light area. There are plenty of places to put this.
I ran a + wire from the battery wire to the relay.
Ran the + wire from the pump to the relay
Ran – wire from pump to frame.
With the ignition on I looked for a hot wire. I found one coming out of the wiper harness. This wire was hot in only 2 key positions. Ignition on and accessories on.
I ran the + wire from the wiper harness to the relay
Ran a ground from the frame to the relay. The relay comes with instructions as to which wire goes where.
Put Water wetter, distilled water and a little antifreeze in
Started the car let it warm up and added as needed. When the car was hot I turned off the engine but kept the pump running. This was cool because I could hear the air in the system and could work it out through the bleeder. I could hear when all of the air was out.
I did some tests Turing the wipers on and off car off and on ect to see if the pump went off, all was fine
The driving temp is 173 and sitting in traffic 210 was the hottest it got . But when I started moving the temp went down quick. I then got on it hard, high revs burnt outs temp got to 195 once.
With all the parts and tools I could have done the whole thing in 10 hours easy.
The next thing I am doing is putting a light on the dash so I now when the pump goes off. I have NOT found a good way to do this. I do not want to have a light on all the time. I want the light to come on when the pump goes out. Like a reverse relay. Let me know if you have an idea.
I don’t know how the post photos on this site so if someone wants some photos let me know what you want and I will E-mail them.
Ramrod92 Yes that’s what it looked like.
Ben
- Thread starter
- #7
Dammit man
Well-known member
Foggy47
I had 98,000 miles on the pump.
I had 98,000 miles on the pump.
Jeb
Well-known member
What is the advantage of an electric water pump?
Jeb said:
The stock waterpump takes horsepower to operate, because it is being turned by the engine. The electric one is not being turned by the engine, rather an electric motore (this takes power from the engine via the alternator). the idea behind an electric pump is it always runs the same speed, so it is always at operating at its best.... a stock pump operates at a wide range of RPM's, so it is not usually running at its best, rather just good enough... and typically it runs too fast, so it robs you of power.
To make a long story short, you get extra power and faster revving engine.
You also have the advantage of being able to run the pump with the car off, to cool the car down track-side or any other time.
Jeb
Well-known member
Thank you.
- Thread starter
- #11
Dammit man
Well-known member
Well I took her down the 1/4 mile today . 13.2 at 106 ml/hr. Traction sucked. The only mods are electric water pump, K@N filter. When I get the new 11" wheels I should get into the 12's. As for temps, I saw 210 once. I am a happy camper.
- Thread starter
- #12
Dammit man
Well-known member
Put some photos of the Electric pump and wiring on my blog.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/96vettelt4/
http://spaces.msn.com/members/96vettelt4/
S
Shriker
Guest
Glad to hear you got it going......I have a heavy duty Mezeire on my car . With 98K on the car you didnt change the opti while you had it apart? I have 65K on mine and changed the opti just for insurance while it was apart.....though the late model opti are more reliable (mine never had problems) .
Folks, this thread has me really confused. :confused I need someone to set me straight! I thought all LT4s came with an electric water pump. I had to double check my beast, and damm it sure looks like an electric pump. And the replacement pumps I see on Ebay are electric as well.
Was this just an upgrade from the factory electric? Or did someone upgrade my car sometime in it's checkered past?
:W
Barry
Was this just an upgrade from the factory electric? Or did someone upgrade my car sometime in it's checkered past?
:W
Barry
All, please forgive my ignorance. I've had this car for two years. Never had to tear into the front of the engine, but all this time I was sure it had an electric water pump!
I spent some quality time with the service manual tonight, and dang if that thing isn't driven by a gear drive off the cam gear (right?).
:duh I learn something new every day!
Barry
I spent some quality time with the service manual tonight, and dang if that thing isn't driven by a gear drive off the cam gear (right?).
:duh I learn something new every day!
Barry
WradDad said:
yes, all LT1's and LT4's are driven by the cam. The thought is that regular waterpump bearings tend to wear out faster because of the constant load pulling in one direction (which ever way the belt is wrapped around the pulley). by driving it with a cam gear it should take that excess load away...
It also is great when the belt breaks... no overheating with no belt
wx briefer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2002
- Messages
- 225
- Location
- Athens, Alabama
- Corvette
- LT4 - Cam, exhaust,intake / '03 Z06 caged/ '19 ZR1
"zero LT4's" is the same as none. No Lt4 had electric from GM. They all came from GM using the camshaft for mechanical rotation.
I might also add, that if one were to get a sealed bearing pressed into the GM pump, no doubt a longer life would be realized.
I might also add, that if one were to get a sealed bearing pressed into the GM pump, no doubt a longer life would be realized.
Maxlean
New member
Why wouldn't the CSI work on a '96?
Angelsword
New member
Dammit Man, I found it!
"The next thing I am doing is putting a light on the dash so I now when the pump goes off. I have NOT found a good way to do this. I do not want to have a light on all the time. I want the light to come on when the pump goes out. Like a reverse relay. Let me know if you have an idea."
I too have been concerned about how to know if the pump is working...can't be done with simple relay logic.
Check out www.autocontrolinc.com.
Bunch of Texas boys figured it out...not cheap, about $100.00, but worth it for the peace of mind.
Angelsword
"The next thing I am doing is putting a light on the dash so I now when the pump goes off. I have NOT found a good way to do this. I do not want to have a light on all the time. I want the light to come on when the pump goes out. Like a reverse relay. Let me know if you have an idea."
I too have been concerned about how to know if the pump is working...can't be done with simple relay logic.
Check out www.autocontrolinc.com.
Bunch of Texas boys figured it out...not cheap, about $100.00, but worth it for the peace of mind.
Angelsword
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